Clairtone (2025) Movie Script
1
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
And let me see
what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars
In other words
Hold my hand
In other words
Baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words
Please be true
In other words
I love you
Clairtone was already history
by the time I was a child,
by the time I was old
enough to talk about
those kinds of
things to my father.
But for him, it loomed large.
It always loomed large,
right to the end of his life.
He would say, "Clairtone
was my first great love,
"and you never
forget your first love."
Newsreel narrator:
In the heart of Central Europe,
situated on both banks
of the Danube, is Budapest.
In 1896, the Hungarians,
led by Prince rpd,
established their
government here.
The favorite promenade of
the Hungarians is the Corso.
Here at midday
and late afternoon,
the people of Budapest gather
to walk or sit at the many
cafes
and look out
at the lovely Danube.
Two blocks from the Corso
is the fashionable shopping
district, the Vci utca.
Nina: My dad was 16 when the
Germans marched into Hungary.
Knowing the worst was to come,
his grandfather managed to get
the family on the Kastner train,
a secret rescue operation
that saved 1,686 Hungarian Jews.
When the war was over,
there was no reason
to go back to Hungary.
There was nothing to go back to.
His father decided it was best
for him to leave Europe.
So, with help
from his uncle Nick,
who owned a machine tool
business in Toronto,
my dad managed to get a student
visa to come to Canada.
Everywhere you go
Sunshine follows you
Everywhere you go
At the University of Toronto,
he studied
electrical engineering,
where he was a determined
student and earned high marks.
Uncle Nick knew someone
over at Atlas Radio,
a company specializing
in high-fidelity equipment.
After he graduated,
Atlas hired my dad as their
chief electrical engineer.
Around that time,
he met my mother,
Linda Gutterson,
and they got married.
Crowd: Mazel tov!
Nina:
My dad was entrepreneurial.
And seeing his ambition,
his father-in-law,
my maternal grandfather,
told him to leave Atlas
and start his own business.
Man: Good afternoon,
Peter Monk Associates.
Nina: He borrowed $3,000
from his father-in-law
and $1,500 from his
father and Uncle Nick.
He hired a technician
and a cabinet maker,
and he started making
custom hi-fi systems
for affluent Torontonians.
That's how it all started.
In the mid-1950s,
the way people listened to music
was transformed by
a new audio technology,
which brought the richness
of the concert hall
into people's living rooms.
What you're going
to hear about today
is nothing short of a miracle.
It's dramatically new,
made possible only
through years of research
and innovation,
living stereo
played on a record.
And now,
it's available for everyone.
Stereo. Stereo. Stereo. Stereo.
Stereo.
It's a most unusual day
Feel like throwing
my worries away
As an old native-born
Californian would say
It's a most unusual day
Nina:
At Diana Sweets,
a student hangout
near the university,
my dad met David Gilmour.
I think he's cute.
They were total opposites.
David was from
a blue-blood Canadian family.
He was raised by a governess.
He played polo.
He wore
a signet ring on his pinky.
My dad?
My dad was an immigrant
with a Hungarian accent,
who'd arrived in Canada with
only the shirt on his back.
They hit it off.
David had no interest
in joining his father
in the stock brokerage business.
Instead, he began importing
modern Scandinavian furniture,
what was known as the New Look.
Commercial narrator:
From the heart of Scandinavia
comes a revolution in design
known as the New Look.
In Denmark,
craftsmen transformed
natural materials
into sleek,
functional furniture,
designed not just for use,
but for harmony with life.
Potters shape stoneware
that is both
delicate and durable,
perfect for the modern home.
Glass blowers shape molten
glass into elegant forms.
Artisans working in metal
produce a wide range
of everyday objects
that are modern and minimalist.
Form and function
work hand-in-hand,
making life simpler,
smarter, and more beautiful.
This is Scandinavian design,
the New Look - a timeless
vision for living well.
Nina: David and my dad decided
to try something together.
Inspired by a modern
Danish sideboard,
they made their first prototype.
It was a long, low,
oiled teak cabinet
outfitted with one
of my dad's hi-fi systems.
They put it in
the window at Sheila's--
a boutique in Yorkville
owned by David's sister.
It cost $700,
which was
a huge amount of money in 1958.
It sold right away.
My dad and David saw that people
would pay for high-quality
stereo equipment
in beautiful furniture.
So, they started
a company to do just that.
They called it Clairtone.
You're walking
along the street
Or you're at a party
Or else you're alone
And then you suddenly dig
You're looking
in someone's eyes
You suddenly realize
That this could be the
start of something big
Woman Shoppers,
Simpsons invites you
to enjoy our fine buffet
in the Arcadian Court,
level, ninth floor.
Simpsons is proud to announce
the arrival of fine
perfumes from Paris.
Nina: It was a long shot
for Simpsons to pick up
an unknown brand by
two Canadian nobodies,
especially since
Clairtone's stereo
cost twice as much
as the competition.
But, hey, it looked great,
it sounded great,
and the head of Simpsons
radio and TV department
agreed to give it a try.
Woman: "Stereophonic"?
What's that?
Man: I think it's a record
player, but with two speakers.
Woman: I like the way it looks.
Narrator: You've heard nothing
yet like Clairtone--
a Canadian-built,
Canadian-owned company,
exclusively at Simpson's
stores across Canada.
Nina: The salesman at Simpsons
reported that Clairtone's design
was especially
popular with women,
who saw it as a stylish
addition to their homes.
Within a few months, David
and my dad had orders to build
and deliver 82 stereos
to stores across Canada.
Man
The next demonstration
of the new
Clairtone stereo console
begin in
five minutes in Hall B.
Nina: My dad and David
brought their stereos
to an industry
trade show in New York,
and they quickly became
the talk of the event.
Their modern design and
innovative engineering stood out
from what the big American
companies were offering.
By the end of the weekend,
they had secured a deal
to distribute Clairtone stereos
in stores across the US.
Sales took off,
from $23,000 a month,
to $67,000 a month,
to $300,000 a month.
It was wild.
Even my dad was amazed.
Clairtone wasn't just a stereo.
It was a revolution in allure.
It was Canada's
most seductive export.
Newsreel narrator:
The people of Canada are using
their resources to
build a growing economy.
This is a nation of lumbering,
of fishing, of mining,
of farming,
and the manufacture
of agricultural machinery.
Today, Canadians are
looking to a bright future,
as they find new ways
to bring forth the riches
they draw from this great land.
Nina: The most fashionable
luxury brands
from around the world
were always displayed in the big
department stores of Manhattan.
For a Canadian
stereo to be featured
in the windows of
Bloomingdale's was unimaginable.
And yet, there it was.
My dad was seen
as a trailblazer,
and soon began
getting invitations
to speak to
Canadian business leaders
about Clairtone's rapid success.
Peter Munk actor:
Canada's success
depends on adopting
a bold new attitude,
free of inferiority, proud of
the "made in Canada" label,
and committed to innovation
and international trade.
By embracing this new attitude,
we can thrive as
a confident, competitive nation.
Thank you.
Nina:
Orders flooded it.
But the bigger Clairtone became,
the more money it needed.
Between the expanding payroll,
expensive components, rent,
and having to extend
credit to retailers
who never paid on time,
they were always short of cash.
To keep them going, David
took out a $20,000 mortgage
on the house he'd
inherited from his parents.
But that was just
a short-term fix.
One day, the tax department
demanded immediate payment
of $27,000 in overdue sales tax
or they'd force
the company into bankruptcy.
My dad and David were
already overdrawn at the bank.
They had borrowed against
every asset they had.
Their banker refused to
advance them another penny.
They had five hours
to come up with $27,000.
Somehow, though,
my dad was able to convince
a few of his biggest
retailers to make immediate
advance payments
on future deliveries.
The buyer at Simpsons,
for example,
who had been the first
to show confidence in them,
agreed to help.
But only if my dad could deliver
14 stereos by 3 p.m. that day.
He pulled it off.
Still, it was one
financial crisis after another.
They were growing faster than
ever, but barely staying afloat.
They needed to find
a long-term solution.
At a party, their accountant
was introduced to Irving Gould,
a financier who
assured them he could raise
a quarter of a million dollars
by selling a tiny part
of Clairtone on the
so-called "unlisted market".
Within a year,
shares had quadrupled in value.
At that moment, my dad and
David were millionaires...
at least on paper.
First thing my dad did
was pay back the $3,000
he'd borrowed
from his father-in-law.
Coming off
a record-breaking year
and excited about
their new product line,
David and my dad
turned their attention
to making Clairtone
a household name.
Newsreel narrator:
Ever wonder why advertising
is the key to business success?
Let's take a look.
Imagine you have
a great product,
but no one knows about it.
How can you make it visible?
The answer is advertising.
When your product is visible,
John and Jane Consumer
can see it,
and that means
more sales for you.
But how did John and Jane know
that Acme was
the best widget to buy?
Well, there's
newspaper advertising.
It's aimed at everyone.
But there's also
magazine advertising.
It's aimed at people
with special interests.
And on top of that,
there's radio advertising.
Radio DJ:
Acme widgets are darn good.
Newsreel narrator: It reaches
John as he's driving to work,
and Jane as she cooks
dinner or cleans the house.
Jane:
Which one should we buy, John?
John: Well, I've heard that
Acme widgets are darn good.
Jane:
Why did you hear that?
John:
Hmm, I'm not sure.
Yes, John isn't even
sure where he heard it.
All he knows is that Acme
widgets are, well, darn good.
So, why wait?
Invest in advertising today
and watch your business grow.
Nina: Dalton Camp, the ad man
and political strategist,
was hired to come up
with a brand-new
advertising campaign
for Clairtone.
Instead of focusing on technical
specs and sound quality,
Dalton Camp's ads
focused on David and my dad.
Understatement's always
been a virtue in Canada,
but the Clairtone Boys,
as they were known,
were anything but understated.
They were unapologetic showmen.
Dalton Camp also made the
most of negative or white space.
He used minimal text
and minimal color
to really emphasize the beauty
and modernity of a Clairtone,
to position it
as a status symbol.
When my dad asked
why they were paying
for all that white space,
Camp told him,
"It represents the missing note
"that can only
be heard on a Clairtone
"because the sound's so great."
My dad loved that line.
Another thing they did
is hire Hugh Spencer,
a genius designer from England.
The first thing Hugh did
was design a modern,
minimalist look
for the company.
Clairtone's advertising campaign
and image-building strategy
translated into
so much new business
that they moved
into a brand-new factory.
My dad said he had
to pinch himself
to make sure
he wasn't just dreaming.
News narrator: Today,
Clairtone Sound Corporation
moved out of
the unlisted market
and was officially listed on
the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In other news,
the Toronto Maple Leafs
have clinched the Stanley Cup
for the second year in a row.
Will this dynasty ever end?
From the very beginning,
Clairtone fused modern design
with the latest technology.
And in 1963,
they introduced the world's
first transistor-powered stereo.
The transition from hot
and bulky vacuum tubes
to solid-state
transistor components...
...which were far more efficient
and didn't need ventilation,
opened up a whole new world
of design possibilities.
Radio announcer: Clairtone
Sound Corporation Limited
brings you the world's first
tubeless stereo console.
The Clairtone Model T355
features the XB5 solid-state
transistor receiver,
all enclosed in
a beautiful walnut cabinet.
This revolutionary advancement
in sound technology
is only available
at select retailers
of premium stereo equipment.
Nina: Clairtone became known as
one of the most forward-thinking
electronics companies
in North America.
In the 1960s, the design
of things was changing--
music, clothing, everything.
CHUM 1050 Toronto
The station that
keeps you in the know
Radio DJ: Tonight's topic,
the new City Hall.
Seymour in North York,
go ahead, speak your mind.
Seymour: It's a disgrace.
Looks like some
kind of spaceship.
And with all the hot air
coming from the politicians,
it'll probably lift off.
Radio DJ: Interesting.
Dave in Yorkville,
speak your mind.
Dave: Groovy, man.
What's inside? Like a club?
It's City Hall, idiot.
Patrick in Corktown,
uh, speak your mind.
Patrick: Uh, I just wish they
hadn't torn down Jimmy's Diner.
Best corned beef
and cabbage in town.
Patrick, it's the 60s.
Something had to go.
Nina: Recognizing that
the times were changing,
my dad turned to Hugh Spencer
to design something far out.
Hughes' design had
a low-slung rosewood cabinet
that floated on a metal base,
and cantilevered at either end,
two rotating
black aluminum sound globes
that project at
340 degrees of sound.
It didn't look
like any other stereo.
It looked like
it came from outer space.
My dad and David launched the G
at the National
Furniture Show in Chicago.
And then, they personally
introduced it
to every major retail
executive in North America.
No one had seen anything
remotely like it before.
On a wonderful
day like today
I defy any cloud
to appear in the sky
They hired a product placement
agency in Hollywood.
Their first coup was getting
a Project G into a major movie:
Marriage on the Rocks,
starring Frank Sinatra
and Dean Martin.
Open fireplace with a real fire.
Just the right kind of music.
Bar not too far from the action.
Other films quickly followed.
'L' is for
The way you look at me
'O' is for
The only one I see
And then, Clairtone
sought and got endorsements
from some very
enthusiastic celebrities.
Extraordinary
'E' is even
more than anyone...
Oscar Peterson said
his music sounded as good
on a Project G as it did live.
...is all that
I can give to you
Love is all...
Sinatra liked
the Project G so much,
he ordered a half dozen
for his Rat Pack friends.
Two in love can make it
Take my heart
And please don't break it
Love was made for me
Hugh Hefner bought one
for the Playboy Mansion
to play at all his parties.
Oh, no
Announcer: Congratulations
on the purchase
of your new Clairtone
console stereo system.
We thought you might
like to hold a party
for your new Clairtone,
so we've enclosed everything
you need to get started.
Cue the music, dim the lights,
and let the good times spin.
He don't act like he knows
She belongs to me
Yeah
Now, look at how they wobble
Uh-huh
He's the best in town
Oh, yeah
I think I'm in trouble
Oh, no
She forgets that I'm around
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Promotional narrator:
We here at Clairtone
want to congratulate you,
our dealers
across North America,
for your record-breaking sales
of Clairtone's award-winning
Project G stereos.
Now, for 1966's modern
consumer,
we present the lower,
sleeker G2 series,
with removable speaker globes
that can be
positioned anywhere.
And for the
space-conscious consumer,
there's the G3,
our smallest console yet,
perfect for
the go-go generation,
as they prepare for their
Saturday night dance parties.
The more I see you
The more I want you
Somehow this feeling
Just grows and grows
With every sigh
I become more mad about you
More lost without you
And so it goes
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
Nina: But the bigger
Clairtone became,
the more money it needed.
Most of the cash flow was
going to pay outside suppliers
who had to be paid in advance.
But the income from sales didn't
arrive until months later.
It was an impossible situation.
Determined as always,
David and my dad decided
the solution was
to become even bigger,
to become an industrial giant,
like a Zenith or an RCA Victor.
To do that,
they needed an enormous factory,
big enough to bring every part
of the manufacturing
process under one roof--
the cabinets,
the electronics, everything.
There was only one problem:
if Clairtone could barely
fund its day-to-day operations,
what were
the chances of financing
a multimillion-dollar factory?
Out of the tree of life
I just picked me a plum
At a crossroads,
David and my dad
were determined to find money
to build a new factory.
Then, out of nowhere,
an opportunity came their way.
The best is yet to come way
Newsreel narrator:
Not too long ago,
Nova Scotia looked to its
primary industries--
fishing, forestry,
farming, and mining--
as the most important
factors in its economy.
But something new
has been happening
in this province by the sea.
Manufacturing has become
the largest single industry.
Money is being placed
in new projects by the province
through Industrial Estates Limited.
Industrial Estates Limited
operates like a private
industrial development company.
If a company wishes to build
a new manufacturing plant
in Nova Scotia,
IEL will finance the
construction of the building,
attracting the
industries of tomorrow,
and ensuring economic progress
for the working men
and women of Nova Scotia.
Nina: To attract new industries
and jobs to the province,
Robert Stanfield,
the Premier of Nova Scotia,
set up an ambitious development
agency they called IEL.
To run it, he hired Frank Sobey,
a respected business leader
who shared Stanfield's vision
for Nova Scotia's future.
Stanfield and Sobey
knew that landing
an innovative
company like Clairtone
would be a shot in the arm
for the entire province.
So, they offered
my dad a sweetheart deal.
Nova Scotia would build
Clairtone a new factory,
if they'd move their entire
operation from Toronto
to the depressed
backwater of Pictou County.
It was too good
an offer to turn down.
Mr. Munk, why did your
company select Nova Scotia?
Because we felt that the
industrial and economic climate
was just right for a growing
company in our industry,
because we felt that
the people of Nova Scotia
seemed to have a
steeped in tradition
of integrity, craftsmanship.
The people are artisans who
appreciate the quality
which are inherent
in our products.
And because of the
geographical location,
which is so
favorable in our case
because most of our
output is being shipped
to the Eastern Seaboard
of the United States.
There's a place
I'll always cherish
'Neath the blue Atlantic sky
Where the shores
down in Cape Breton
Bids the golden sun to rise
And the fragrance
of the apple blossoms
Sprays the dew-kissed lawns
Back in dear old Nova Scotia
The place where I was born
Peter Munk:
Premier Stanfield, Mr. Sobey,
let me offer a pledge.
We shall not let you down.
We shall be in the forefront
of your industrial revolution.
We shall be in the vanguard
of the change, a change
which will put this region
into the economic mainstream
of Canada's total economic
and industrial revolution.
Nina: The Stellarton factory
stretched out over seven acres.
It was so big, you couldn't
see from one end to the other.
The equipment was
state-of-the-art,
with the latest technology
imported from Germany.
It employed 1,200 workers.
60% of them were women
who'd been specially trained.
In a town that had once been
dependent on the coal industry,
the Clairtone factory brought
Stellarton back to life.
Oh, something else,
my dad persuaded Stanfield
to let him use a million dollars
of the government's money
to bring Japanese car
manufacturing to Nova Scotia.
What do cars have to do
with stereo manufacturing?
Not a whole lot.
But because my dad's eyes
were always on the future,
he got involved with a group
that managed to secure
an exclusive license
to assemble and sell
Toyota cars in Canada,
and he wrapped it all
into the Clairtone deal.
Man: I'm proud to
announce the formation
of Canadian Motor
Industries Limited,
and we want to thank the
government of Nova Scotia
and the Clairtone Company
for their investment.
Like Clairtone, we are
determined to be a key factor
in Nova Scotia's
industrial resurgence.
When Premier Stanfield
approached me
with the idea of
expanding the automotive...
Nina: With their control of CMI,
Clairtone was about to
become an industrial giant.
Announcer: The following
is a color presentation.
Nina: By the mid-60s, color
television was being introduced,
and everyone was convinced
it was going to be
the next big thing.
Newsreel narrator: Imagine
a world where every moment
bursts to life
in brilliant, vivid color.
Your favorite programs are now
more lifelike than ever before.
The ordinary becomes
extraordinary in...
living colour.
Nina: Knowing it would
create even more jobs,
Stanfield and Sobey offered
Clairtone an additional
$3 million if it committed to
manufacturing color televisions.
So, with the enthusiastic
backing of the government,
Clairtone jumped headlong
into the color TV business.
My dad hired designer Tony Mann
to come up with a television
that matched
Clairtone's aesthetic.
Tony's design featured
a premium 25-inch picture tube
set in a modular chassis,
all encased in
beautiful Brazilian rosewood
and luxurious black leather.
It sat on a unique
aluminum swivel base
and came with
a snappy remote control.
Radio DJ:
Good morning, Pictou County.
The sun is shining,
the birds are singing,
and it's shaping up
to be another gorgeous day
in our own
little slice of paradise.
Here's the Maritime's
own Caty McKinnon
to tell us what
kind of morning she's having.
It's a beautiful morning
I think I'll go
outside for a while
And just smile
Take in some clean
fresh air, boy
No fun in staying inside
If the weather's fine
And you got the time
It's your chance to wake up
And plan another
brand new day
It's a beautiful morning
Ahh...
Each bird keeps
singin' his own song
So long
Commercial narrator:
The finest color TV you can buy
is a Clairtone.
These two men
insist on factory testing
every Clairtone for one week,
so they can guarantee
the performance.
Peter Monk, president and
director of engineering.
David Gilmour,
executive vice president,
director of styling
and merchandising.
Look into Clairtone color soon.
Smart people won't
settle for anything less.
Would you like to ride
In my beautiful balloon?
Would you like to glide
In my beautiful balloon?
We could float among
the stars together
You and I
For we can float,
for we can float!
Nina: Expo '67 showcased
the boldest designs
from every country in the world,
and Clairtone's G-Series
was selected
as the official television.
Balloon
With the G-TV's high-profile
promotional campaign,
my dad was certain that
sales would take off and soar.
But by the fall of 1967,
it was evident that something
was amiss in the marketplace.
The booming sales of colour TVs
that the industry had geared up
for just wasn't happening.
On top of that,
Japanese companies
started flooding the market
with low-cost stereo components.
Announcer: It's Psycho Mike's
sickest stereo sale ever!
We've got Sony,
Sensui, Hitachi, Hibachi,
Yamaha, Omaha, Kenwood,
Flywood, and Pioner!
Pioner! Pioner! Pioner!
Every speaker, every amp, every
preamp, receiver, tape deck
on sale at 10, 20, 30% off!
I can't believe I'm doing this!
I must be psycho!
I am psycho! I'm Psycho Mike!
Nina:
To make matters even worse,
it turns out Clairtone had
built that big modern factory
in a place totally
unsuited for manufacturing.
The inexperienced
workforce had a hard time
transitioning to the demands
of a modern assembly plant.
And there were other problems.
The road to Stellarton was
so bad that Clairtone stereos
and TVs got damaged
on the way to Halifax.
And because the
factory was so remote,
it took forever to get parts,
which caused endless
production delays.
Inventory went missing.
Union issues threatened
to shut down the plant.
Cost control was impossible.
As the problems compounded,
my dad and David,
in a panic,
tried to raise more capital.
But nobody was interested.
They tried to raise money
through a merger with the
Singer Sewing Machine Company.
But that deal fell through.
And their plans to
build Japanese cars?
That was years away
from generating any income.
Robert Stanfield,
their biggest supporter,
was no help.
He'd left Nova Scotia
to run for leadership
of the federal
Conservative Party.
Party member: The result of the
fifth and final ballot...
And the new leader
of the Progressive
Conservative Party...
Bob Stanfield!
Order.
Order!
Nina: Clairton was
definitely the last thing
on Bob Stanfield's mind.
To save the company
from going under,
Frank Sobey
offered my dad a deal.
Nova Scotia's development agency
would advance another
two million dollars,
but only on the condition
that my father and David
surrender control
of the company.
My dad and David
were forced to step down.
The Nova Scotia
government took over.
It was devastating.
News anchor:
Uh, this just handed to me,
this morning, Frank Sobey of
Industrial Estates Limited
announced the surprise
resignation of Peter Monk
and David Gilmore
from the senior management
of the Clairtone
Sound Corporation,
Pictou County's
largest employer.
No indication was given
as to who might be
chosen to replace them.
Nina: The Nova Scotia government
hired a new CEO for Clairtone.
Mangels was his name.
He came from Olin Corporation, a
big American chemical company.
Mangels believed
the way to turn things around
was to go high volume
and low cost.
Clairtone started
pumping out mass-market stereos
and cheap little radios.
It was a complete 180.
From sophisticated technology
and elegant design
to... disposable junk.
Customers who loved
Clairtone for its high quality
and sophisticated style
were not only confused,
they were aghast.
Mangels only lasted a year,
but in that time,
he destroyed everything that
David and my father had created.
My dad retreated to
a small cottage in Georgian Bay
to reflect and try to understand
what went wrong.
My parents were forced
to sell their house
and move into
a rental apartment.
My father's friends disappeared,
the speaking
engagements stopped,
and he began to wonder
if it had all just been a fluke.
That's when I was born.
Reporter:
This new Clairtone plalant
opened at Stellarton in 1966.
It was a showpiece of its time.
But even as the plant opened,
Clairtone was in trouble.
Barely a year later,
IEL took it over
for the province,
and by 1970, it was closed.
A thousand jobs gone,
a dream ended.
What went wrong?
What went
wrong?
What went wrong was
that I forgot my script.
The sun was setting
In the west
The birds were singing
On every tree
News anchor: In an effort
to cut their losses,
Clairtone will have to sell off
approximately 5,000
unsold color televisions
currently sitting
in their warehouse.
This may prove difficult,
especially since Simpsons
and Eaton's department
stores announced today
that they would no longer carry
the Clairtone product line.
.Nova Scotia,
the sea bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I am far away...
It wasn't very long
after you took charge
that things began to go sour.
I don't like
the way you put that.
You sound as though
you were suggesting
that I was to
blame for it going sour.
I think it is true,
however, that, in '67,
the good picture
that had been projected
began to look not so good.
Reporter: Clairtone's
annual report issued today
indicated that losses from all
manufactured products
were much greater
than anticipated.
Farewell to Nova Scotia
Clairtone has had much worse
troubles and much greater losses
after the government took over
control rather than before.
TV reporter:
Following the suspension
of Clairtone's lines of credit,
new Clairtone boss
G.A. McDonald announced today
that all unsold inventory would
be liquidated immediately.
Reporter: Trading in Clairtone
shares was suspended today,
as the company was delisted
from the Toronto Stock Exchange.
From a peak of over $15,
the value of a share had
fallen to less than 30 cents.
Reporter #2: It was a dark day
at the Clairtone factory,
as employees left after punching
out for the final time.
Some spoke of looking
for work in Ontario,
but many will wake up tomorrow
with no jobs and no prospect
of future employment.
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I am far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Nina: After selling off
Clairtone's assets
and the Stellarton factory,
the government of Nova Scotia
had lost over $23 million.
Man: Okay.
Reporter: Looking back,
what would you say was
so special about Clairtone?
It was the best
product at that time,
and it was a great amount of
satisfaction and thrill
to see a product totally
designed and made in Canada,
in a country that
suffered traditionally
from an inferiority complex
vis-a-vis their American
and European counterparts,
to be able to design something,
conceive it, design it,
both from an
exterior point of view,
as well as from an
engineering point of view,
which against
any price competition
stood up internationally
as the best product.
When people like
Frank Sinatra, or Hugh Hefner,
or the Beatles
had bought a Clairtone,
it was not because
they had Canadian nationalism
or because somebody said,
"Buy Canadian,"
it was bought because it was
the best product available
at any price.
Nina: But my dad's story
didn't end with Clairtone.
I've got an island
in the Pacific
And everything
about it is terrific
I've got the sun to tan me
Palms to fan me
And...
An occasional man
I've got an island,
it's very lazy
If I should ever leave it,
I'd be crazy
Back in 1962,
when they'd had some money,
David and my dad bought two
parcels of beachfront land
in Fiji, on a whim,
sight unseen.
Turning their attention
to this last thing
they owned together,
they got financing
to build a luxury resort,
and within a few years,
they'd expanded it
into a chain of hotels
and resorts across
the South Pacific...
which they sold in 1980.
With their profits,
David and my dad
then started a commercial
real estate company...
Which they sold in 2006.
And they also founded one of the
biggest gold mining companies
in the world, Barrick Gold.
My dad never forgot
that Canada took him in
when he had nothing,
and he felt
he owed Canada a debt.
As soon as he could,
he began to donate
hundreds of millions of dollars
to support health care,
education, and public policy.
My dad died in March of 2018
at the age of 90.
David Gilmour died
five years later at 91.
From the day they met
until the day my dad died,
he and David remained
the closest of friends.
That's life
That's
life
That's what
all the people say
You're riding high in April
Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change
That tune
When I'm back on top
Back on top in June
I said that's life
That's life
And as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks
Stomping on a dream
But I don't let it,
let it get me down
'Cause this fine old world
It keeps spinnin' around
I've been a puppet,
a pauper, a pirate, a poet
A pawn and a king
I've been up and
down and over and out
And I know one thing
Each time I find myself
Flat on my face
I pick myself up and get
Back in the race
That's life
That's
life
I tell you, I can't deny it
I thought of quitting, baby
But my heart
just ain't gonna buy it
And if I didn't think
it was worth one single try
I'd jump right on a big bird
And then I'd fly
I've been a puppet,
a pauper, a pirate, a poet
A pawn and a king
I've been up and down
and over and out
And I know one thing
Each time
I find myself layin'
Flat on my face
I just pick
myself up and get
Back in the race
That's life
That's life
and I can't deny it
Many times
I thought of cutting out
But my heart won't buy it
But if there's
nothing shaking
Come this here July
I'm gonna roll myself up
In a big ball
And...
Die
My, my...
The sun was setting
In the West
The birds were singing
On every tree
All nature seemed
Inclined for to rest
But still there was
No rest for me
Farewell to Nova Scotia
The sea-bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I'm far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
I grieve to leave
My native land
I grieve to leave
My comrades all
And my parents
Who I held so dear
And the bonnie, bonnie lad
That I do adore
Farewell to Nova Scotia
The sea-bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I'm far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
And let me see
what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars
In other words
Hold my hand
In other words
Baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words
Please be true
In other words
I love you
Clairtone was already history
by the time I was a child,
by the time I was old
enough to talk about
those kinds of
things to my father.
But for him, it loomed large.
It always loomed large,
right to the end of his life.
He would say, "Clairtone
was my first great love,
"and you never
forget your first love."
Newsreel narrator:
In the heart of Central Europe,
situated on both banks
of the Danube, is Budapest.
In 1896, the Hungarians,
led by Prince rpd,
established their
government here.
The favorite promenade of
the Hungarians is the Corso.
Here at midday
and late afternoon,
the people of Budapest gather
to walk or sit at the many
cafes
and look out
at the lovely Danube.
Two blocks from the Corso
is the fashionable shopping
district, the Vci utca.
Nina: My dad was 16 when the
Germans marched into Hungary.
Knowing the worst was to come,
his grandfather managed to get
the family on the Kastner train,
a secret rescue operation
that saved 1,686 Hungarian Jews.
When the war was over,
there was no reason
to go back to Hungary.
There was nothing to go back to.
His father decided it was best
for him to leave Europe.
So, with help
from his uncle Nick,
who owned a machine tool
business in Toronto,
my dad managed to get a student
visa to come to Canada.
Everywhere you go
Sunshine follows you
Everywhere you go
At the University of Toronto,
he studied
electrical engineering,
where he was a determined
student and earned high marks.
Uncle Nick knew someone
over at Atlas Radio,
a company specializing
in high-fidelity equipment.
After he graduated,
Atlas hired my dad as their
chief electrical engineer.
Around that time,
he met my mother,
Linda Gutterson,
and they got married.
Crowd: Mazel tov!
Nina:
My dad was entrepreneurial.
And seeing his ambition,
his father-in-law,
my maternal grandfather,
told him to leave Atlas
and start his own business.
Man: Good afternoon,
Peter Monk Associates.
Nina: He borrowed $3,000
from his father-in-law
and $1,500 from his
father and Uncle Nick.
He hired a technician
and a cabinet maker,
and he started making
custom hi-fi systems
for affluent Torontonians.
That's how it all started.
In the mid-1950s,
the way people listened to music
was transformed by
a new audio technology,
which brought the richness
of the concert hall
into people's living rooms.
What you're going
to hear about today
is nothing short of a miracle.
It's dramatically new,
made possible only
through years of research
and innovation,
living stereo
played on a record.
And now,
it's available for everyone.
Stereo. Stereo. Stereo. Stereo.
Stereo.
It's a most unusual day
Feel like throwing
my worries away
As an old native-born
Californian would say
It's a most unusual day
Nina:
At Diana Sweets,
a student hangout
near the university,
my dad met David Gilmour.
I think he's cute.
They were total opposites.
David was from
a blue-blood Canadian family.
He was raised by a governess.
He played polo.
He wore
a signet ring on his pinky.
My dad?
My dad was an immigrant
with a Hungarian accent,
who'd arrived in Canada with
only the shirt on his back.
They hit it off.
David had no interest
in joining his father
in the stock brokerage business.
Instead, he began importing
modern Scandinavian furniture,
what was known as the New Look.
Commercial narrator:
From the heart of Scandinavia
comes a revolution in design
known as the New Look.
In Denmark,
craftsmen transformed
natural materials
into sleek,
functional furniture,
designed not just for use,
but for harmony with life.
Potters shape stoneware
that is both
delicate and durable,
perfect for the modern home.
Glass blowers shape molten
glass into elegant forms.
Artisans working in metal
produce a wide range
of everyday objects
that are modern and minimalist.
Form and function
work hand-in-hand,
making life simpler,
smarter, and more beautiful.
This is Scandinavian design,
the New Look - a timeless
vision for living well.
Nina: David and my dad decided
to try something together.
Inspired by a modern
Danish sideboard,
they made their first prototype.
It was a long, low,
oiled teak cabinet
outfitted with one
of my dad's hi-fi systems.
They put it in
the window at Sheila's--
a boutique in Yorkville
owned by David's sister.
It cost $700,
which was
a huge amount of money in 1958.
It sold right away.
My dad and David saw that people
would pay for high-quality
stereo equipment
in beautiful furniture.
So, they started
a company to do just that.
They called it Clairtone.
You're walking
along the street
Or you're at a party
Or else you're alone
And then you suddenly dig
You're looking
in someone's eyes
You suddenly realize
That this could be the
start of something big
Woman Shoppers,
Simpsons invites you
to enjoy our fine buffet
in the Arcadian Court,
level, ninth floor.
Simpsons is proud to announce
the arrival of fine
perfumes from Paris.
Nina: It was a long shot
for Simpsons to pick up
an unknown brand by
two Canadian nobodies,
especially since
Clairtone's stereo
cost twice as much
as the competition.
But, hey, it looked great,
it sounded great,
and the head of Simpsons
radio and TV department
agreed to give it a try.
Woman: "Stereophonic"?
What's that?
Man: I think it's a record
player, but with two speakers.
Woman: I like the way it looks.
Narrator: You've heard nothing
yet like Clairtone--
a Canadian-built,
Canadian-owned company,
exclusively at Simpson's
stores across Canada.
Nina: The salesman at Simpsons
reported that Clairtone's design
was especially
popular with women,
who saw it as a stylish
addition to their homes.
Within a few months, David
and my dad had orders to build
and deliver 82 stereos
to stores across Canada.
Man
The next demonstration
of the new
Clairtone stereo console
begin in
five minutes in Hall B.
Nina: My dad and David
brought their stereos
to an industry
trade show in New York,
and they quickly became
the talk of the event.
Their modern design and
innovative engineering stood out
from what the big American
companies were offering.
By the end of the weekend,
they had secured a deal
to distribute Clairtone stereos
in stores across the US.
Sales took off,
from $23,000 a month,
to $67,000 a month,
to $300,000 a month.
It was wild.
Even my dad was amazed.
Clairtone wasn't just a stereo.
It was a revolution in allure.
It was Canada's
most seductive export.
Newsreel narrator:
The people of Canada are using
their resources to
build a growing economy.
This is a nation of lumbering,
of fishing, of mining,
of farming,
and the manufacture
of agricultural machinery.
Today, Canadians are
looking to a bright future,
as they find new ways
to bring forth the riches
they draw from this great land.
Nina: The most fashionable
luxury brands
from around the world
were always displayed in the big
department stores of Manhattan.
For a Canadian
stereo to be featured
in the windows of
Bloomingdale's was unimaginable.
And yet, there it was.
My dad was seen
as a trailblazer,
and soon began
getting invitations
to speak to
Canadian business leaders
about Clairtone's rapid success.
Peter Munk actor:
Canada's success
depends on adopting
a bold new attitude,
free of inferiority, proud of
the "made in Canada" label,
and committed to innovation
and international trade.
By embracing this new attitude,
we can thrive as
a confident, competitive nation.
Thank you.
Nina:
Orders flooded it.
But the bigger Clairtone became,
the more money it needed.
Between the expanding payroll,
expensive components, rent,
and having to extend
credit to retailers
who never paid on time,
they were always short of cash.
To keep them going, David
took out a $20,000 mortgage
on the house he'd
inherited from his parents.
But that was just
a short-term fix.
One day, the tax department
demanded immediate payment
of $27,000 in overdue sales tax
or they'd force
the company into bankruptcy.
My dad and David were
already overdrawn at the bank.
They had borrowed against
every asset they had.
Their banker refused to
advance them another penny.
They had five hours
to come up with $27,000.
Somehow, though,
my dad was able to convince
a few of his biggest
retailers to make immediate
advance payments
on future deliveries.
The buyer at Simpsons,
for example,
who had been the first
to show confidence in them,
agreed to help.
But only if my dad could deliver
14 stereos by 3 p.m. that day.
He pulled it off.
Still, it was one
financial crisis after another.
They were growing faster than
ever, but barely staying afloat.
They needed to find
a long-term solution.
At a party, their accountant
was introduced to Irving Gould,
a financier who
assured them he could raise
a quarter of a million dollars
by selling a tiny part
of Clairtone on the
so-called "unlisted market".
Within a year,
shares had quadrupled in value.
At that moment, my dad and
David were millionaires...
at least on paper.
First thing my dad did
was pay back the $3,000
he'd borrowed
from his father-in-law.
Coming off
a record-breaking year
and excited about
their new product line,
David and my dad
turned their attention
to making Clairtone
a household name.
Newsreel narrator:
Ever wonder why advertising
is the key to business success?
Let's take a look.
Imagine you have
a great product,
but no one knows about it.
How can you make it visible?
The answer is advertising.
When your product is visible,
John and Jane Consumer
can see it,
and that means
more sales for you.
But how did John and Jane know
that Acme was
the best widget to buy?
Well, there's
newspaper advertising.
It's aimed at everyone.
But there's also
magazine advertising.
It's aimed at people
with special interests.
And on top of that,
there's radio advertising.
Radio DJ:
Acme widgets are darn good.
Newsreel narrator: It reaches
John as he's driving to work,
and Jane as she cooks
dinner or cleans the house.
Jane:
Which one should we buy, John?
John: Well, I've heard that
Acme widgets are darn good.
Jane:
Why did you hear that?
John:
Hmm, I'm not sure.
Yes, John isn't even
sure where he heard it.
All he knows is that Acme
widgets are, well, darn good.
So, why wait?
Invest in advertising today
and watch your business grow.
Nina: Dalton Camp, the ad man
and political strategist,
was hired to come up
with a brand-new
advertising campaign
for Clairtone.
Instead of focusing on technical
specs and sound quality,
Dalton Camp's ads
focused on David and my dad.
Understatement's always
been a virtue in Canada,
but the Clairtone Boys,
as they were known,
were anything but understated.
They were unapologetic showmen.
Dalton Camp also made the
most of negative or white space.
He used minimal text
and minimal color
to really emphasize the beauty
and modernity of a Clairtone,
to position it
as a status symbol.
When my dad asked
why they were paying
for all that white space,
Camp told him,
"It represents the missing note
"that can only
be heard on a Clairtone
"because the sound's so great."
My dad loved that line.
Another thing they did
is hire Hugh Spencer,
a genius designer from England.
The first thing Hugh did
was design a modern,
minimalist look
for the company.
Clairtone's advertising campaign
and image-building strategy
translated into
so much new business
that they moved
into a brand-new factory.
My dad said he had
to pinch himself
to make sure
he wasn't just dreaming.
News narrator: Today,
Clairtone Sound Corporation
moved out of
the unlisted market
and was officially listed on
the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In other news,
the Toronto Maple Leafs
have clinched the Stanley Cup
for the second year in a row.
Will this dynasty ever end?
From the very beginning,
Clairtone fused modern design
with the latest technology.
And in 1963,
they introduced the world's
first transistor-powered stereo.
The transition from hot
and bulky vacuum tubes
to solid-state
transistor components...
...which were far more efficient
and didn't need ventilation,
opened up a whole new world
of design possibilities.
Radio announcer: Clairtone
Sound Corporation Limited
brings you the world's first
tubeless stereo console.
The Clairtone Model T355
features the XB5 solid-state
transistor receiver,
all enclosed in
a beautiful walnut cabinet.
This revolutionary advancement
in sound technology
is only available
at select retailers
of premium stereo equipment.
Nina: Clairtone became known as
one of the most forward-thinking
electronics companies
in North America.
In the 1960s, the design
of things was changing--
music, clothing, everything.
CHUM 1050 Toronto
The station that
keeps you in the know
Radio DJ: Tonight's topic,
the new City Hall.
Seymour in North York,
go ahead, speak your mind.
Seymour: It's a disgrace.
Looks like some
kind of spaceship.
And with all the hot air
coming from the politicians,
it'll probably lift off.
Radio DJ: Interesting.
Dave in Yorkville,
speak your mind.
Dave: Groovy, man.
What's inside? Like a club?
It's City Hall, idiot.
Patrick in Corktown,
uh, speak your mind.
Patrick: Uh, I just wish they
hadn't torn down Jimmy's Diner.
Best corned beef
and cabbage in town.
Patrick, it's the 60s.
Something had to go.
Nina: Recognizing that
the times were changing,
my dad turned to Hugh Spencer
to design something far out.
Hughes' design had
a low-slung rosewood cabinet
that floated on a metal base,
and cantilevered at either end,
two rotating
black aluminum sound globes
that project at
340 degrees of sound.
It didn't look
like any other stereo.
It looked like
it came from outer space.
My dad and David launched the G
at the National
Furniture Show in Chicago.
And then, they personally
introduced it
to every major retail
executive in North America.
No one had seen anything
remotely like it before.
On a wonderful
day like today
I defy any cloud
to appear in the sky
They hired a product placement
agency in Hollywood.
Their first coup was getting
a Project G into a major movie:
Marriage on the Rocks,
starring Frank Sinatra
and Dean Martin.
Open fireplace with a real fire.
Just the right kind of music.
Bar not too far from the action.
Other films quickly followed.
'L' is for
The way you look at me
'O' is for
The only one I see
And then, Clairtone
sought and got endorsements
from some very
enthusiastic celebrities.
Extraordinary
'E' is even
more than anyone...
Oscar Peterson said
his music sounded as good
on a Project G as it did live.
...is all that
I can give to you
Love is all...
Sinatra liked
the Project G so much,
he ordered a half dozen
for his Rat Pack friends.
Two in love can make it
Take my heart
And please don't break it
Love was made for me
Hugh Hefner bought one
for the Playboy Mansion
to play at all his parties.
Oh, no
Announcer: Congratulations
on the purchase
of your new Clairtone
console stereo system.
We thought you might
like to hold a party
for your new Clairtone,
so we've enclosed everything
you need to get started.
Cue the music, dim the lights,
and let the good times spin.
He don't act like he knows
She belongs to me
Yeah
Now, look at how they wobble
Uh-huh
He's the best in town
Oh, yeah
I think I'm in trouble
Oh, no
She forgets that I'm around
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Promotional narrator:
We here at Clairtone
want to congratulate you,
our dealers
across North America,
for your record-breaking sales
of Clairtone's award-winning
Project G stereos.
Now, for 1966's modern
consumer,
we present the lower,
sleeker G2 series,
with removable speaker globes
that can be
positioned anywhere.
And for the
space-conscious consumer,
there's the G3,
our smallest console yet,
perfect for
the go-go generation,
as they prepare for their
Saturday night dance parties.
The more I see you
The more I want you
Somehow this feeling
Just grows and grows
With every sigh
I become more mad about you
More lost without you
And so it goes
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
Nina: But the bigger
Clairtone became,
the more money it needed.
Most of the cash flow was
going to pay outside suppliers
who had to be paid in advance.
But the income from sales didn't
arrive until months later.
It was an impossible situation.
Determined as always,
David and my dad decided
the solution was
to become even bigger,
to become an industrial giant,
like a Zenith or an RCA Victor.
To do that,
they needed an enormous factory,
big enough to bring every part
of the manufacturing
process under one roof--
the cabinets,
the electronics, everything.
There was only one problem:
if Clairtone could barely
fund its day-to-day operations,
what were
the chances of financing
a multimillion-dollar factory?
Out of the tree of life
I just picked me a plum
At a crossroads,
David and my dad
were determined to find money
to build a new factory.
Then, out of nowhere,
an opportunity came their way.
The best is yet to come way
Newsreel narrator:
Not too long ago,
Nova Scotia looked to its
primary industries--
fishing, forestry,
farming, and mining--
as the most important
factors in its economy.
But something new
has been happening
in this province by the sea.
Manufacturing has become
the largest single industry.
Money is being placed
in new projects by the province
through Industrial Estates Limited.
Industrial Estates Limited
operates like a private
industrial development company.
If a company wishes to build
a new manufacturing plant
in Nova Scotia,
IEL will finance the
construction of the building,
attracting the
industries of tomorrow,
and ensuring economic progress
for the working men
and women of Nova Scotia.
Nina: To attract new industries
and jobs to the province,
Robert Stanfield,
the Premier of Nova Scotia,
set up an ambitious development
agency they called IEL.
To run it, he hired Frank Sobey,
a respected business leader
who shared Stanfield's vision
for Nova Scotia's future.
Stanfield and Sobey
knew that landing
an innovative
company like Clairtone
would be a shot in the arm
for the entire province.
So, they offered
my dad a sweetheart deal.
Nova Scotia would build
Clairtone a new factory,
if they'd move their entire
operation from Toronto
to the depressed
backwater of Pictou County.
It was too good
an offer to turn down.
Mr. Munk, why did your
company select Nova Scotia?
Because we felt that the
industrial and economic climate
was just right for a growing
company in our industry,
because we felt that
the people of Nova Scotia
seemed to have a
steeped in tradition
of integrity, craftsmanship.
The people are artisans who
appreciate the quality
which are inherent
in our products.
And because of the
geographical location,
which is so
favorable in our case
because most of our
output is being shipped
to the Eastern Seaboard
of the United States.
There's a place
I'll always cherish
'Neath the blue Atlantic sky
Where the shores
down in Cape Breton
Bids the golden sun to rise
And the fragrance
of the apple blossoms
Sprays the dew-kissed lawns
Back in dear old Nova Scotia
The place where I was born
Peter Munk:
Premier Stanfield, Mr. Sobey,
let me offer a pledge.
We shall not let you down.
We shall be in the forefront
of your industrial revolution.
We shall be in the vanguard
of the change, a change
which will put this region
into the economic mainstream
of Canada's total economic
and industrial revolution.
Nina: The Stellarton factory
stretched out over seven acres.
It was so big, you couldn't
see from one end to the other.
The equipment was
state-of-the-art,
with the latest technology
imported from Germany.
It employed 1,200 workers.
60% of them were women
who'd been specially trained.
In a town that had once been
dependent on the coal industry,
the Clairtone factory brought
Stellarton back to life.
Oh, something else,
my dad persuaded Stanfield
to let him use a million dollars
of the government's money
to bring Japanese car
manufacturing to Nova Scotia.
What do cars have to do
with stereo manufacturing?
Not a whole lot.
But because my dad's eyes
were always on the future,
he got involved with a group
that managed to secure
an exclusive license
to assemble and sell
Toyota cars in Canada,
and he wrapped it all
into the Clairtone deal.
Man: I'm proud to
announce the formation
of Canadian Motor
Industries Limited,
and we want to thank the
government of Nova Scotia
and the Clairtone Company
for their investment.
Like Clairtone, we are
determined to be a key factor
in Nova Scotia's
industrial resurgence.
When Premier Stanfield
approached me
with the idea of
expanding the automotive...
Nina: With their control of CMI,
Clairtone was about to
become an industrial giant.
Announcer: The following
is a color presentation.
Nina: By the mid-60s, color
television was being introduced,
and everyone was convinced
it was going to be
the next big thing.
Newsreel narrator: Imagine
a world where every moment
bursts to life
in brilliant, vivid color.
Your favorite programs are now
more lifelike than ever before.
The ordinary becomes
extraordinary in...
living colour.
Nina: Knowing it would
create even more jobs,
Stanfield and Sobey offered
Clairtone an additional
$3 million if it committed to
manufacturing color televisions.
So, with the enthusiastic
backing of the government,
Clairtone jumped headlong
into the color TV business.
My dad hired designer Tony Mann
to come up with a television
that matched
Clairtone's aesthetic.
Tony's design featured
a premium 25-inch picture tube
set in a modular chassis,
all encased in
beautiful Brazilian rosewood
and luxurious black leather.
It sat on a unique
aluminum swivel base
and came with
a snappy remote control.
Radio DJ:
Good morning, Pictou County.
The sun is shining,
the birds are singing,
and it's shaping up
to be another gorgeous day
in our own
little slice of paradise.
Here's the Maritime's
own Caty McKinnon
to tell us what
kind of morning she's having.
It's a beautiful morning
I think I'll go
outside for a while
And just smile
Take in some clean
fresh air, boy
No fun in staying inside
If the weather's fine
And you got the time
It's your chance to wake up
And plan another
brand new day
It's a beautiful morning
Ahh...
Each bird keeps
singin' his own song
So long
Commercial narrator:
The finest color TV you can buy
is a Clairtone.
These two men
insist on factory testing
every Clairtone for one week,
so they can guarantee
the performance.
Peter Monk, president and
director of engineering.
David Gilmour,
executive vice president,
director of styling
and merchandising.
Look into Clairtone color soon.
Smart people won't
settle for anything less.
Would you like to ride
In my beautiful balloon?
Would you like to glide
In my beautiful balloon?
We could float among
the stars together
You and I
For we can float,
for we can float!
Nina: Expo '67 showcased
the boldest designs
from every country in the world,
and Clairtone's G-Series
was selected
as the official television.
Balloon
With the G-TV's high-profile
promotional campaign,
my dad was certain that
sales would take off and soar.
But by the fall of 1967,
it was evident that something
was amiss in the marketplace.
The booming sales of colour TVs
that the industry had geared up
for just wasn't happening.
On top of that,
Japanese companies
started flooding the market
with low-cost stereo components.
Announcer: It's Psycho Mike's
sickest stereo sale ever!
We've got Sony,
Sensui, Hitachi, Hibachi,
Yamaha, Omaha, Kenwood,
Flywood, and Pioner!
Pioner! Pioner! Pioner!
Every speaker, every amp, every
preamp, receiver, tape deck
on sale at 10, 20, 30% off!
I can't believe I'm doing this!
I must be psycho!
I am psycho! I'm Psycho Mike!
Nina:
To make matters even worse,
it turns out Clairtone had
built that big modern factory
in a place totally
unsuited for manufacturing.
The inexperienced
workforce had a hard time
transitioning to the demands
of a modern assembly plant.
And there were other problems.
The road to Stellarton was
so bad that Clairtone stereos
and TVs got damaged
on the way to Halifax.
And because the
factory was so remote,
it took forever to get parts,
which caused endless
production delays.
Inventory went missing.
Union issues threatened
to shut down the plant.
Cost control was impossible.
As the problems compounded,
my dad and David,
in a panic,
tried to raise more capital.
But nobody was interested.
They tried to raise money
through a merger with the
Singer Sewing Machine Company.
But that deal fell through.
And their plans to
build Japanese cars?
That was years away
from generating any income.
Robert Stanfield,
their biggest supporter,
was no help.
He'd left Nova Scotia
to run for leadership
of the federal
Conservative Party.
Party member: The result of the
fifth and final ballot...
And the new leader
of the Progressive
Conservative Party...
Bob Stanfield!
Order.
Order!
Nina: Clairton was
definitely the last thing
on Bob Stanfield's mind.
To save the company
from going under,
Frank Sobey
offered my dad a deal.
Nova Scotia's development agency
would advance another
two million dollars,
but only on the condition
that my father and David
surrender control
of the company.
My dad and David
were forced to step down.
The Nova Scotia
government took over.
It was devastating.
News anchor:
Uh, this just handed to me,
this morning, Frank Sobey of
Industrial Estates Limited
announced the surprise
resignation of Peter Monk
and David Gilmore
from the senior management
of the Clairtone
Sound Corporation,
Pictou County's
largest employer.
No indication was given
as to who might be
chosen to replace them.
Nina: The Nova Scotia government
hired a new CEO for Clairtone.
Mangels was his name.
He came from Olin Corporation, a
big American chemical company.
Mangels believed
the way to turn things around
was to go high volume
and low cost.
Clairtone started
pumping out mass-market stereos
and cheap little radios.
It was a complete 180.
From sophisticated technology
and elegant design
to... disposable junk.
Customers who loved
Clairtone for its high quality
and sophisticated style
were not only confused,
they were aghast.
Mangels only lasted a year,
but in that time,
he destroyed everything that
David and my father had created.
My dad retreated to
a small cottage in Georgian Bay
to reflect and try to understand
what went wrong.
My parents were forced
to sell their house
and move into
a rental apartment.
My father's friends disappeared,
the speaking
engagements stopped,
and he began to wonder
if it had all just been a fluke.
That's when I was born.
Reporter:
This new Clairtone plalant
opened at Stellarton in 1966.
It was a showpiece of its time.
But even as the plant opened,
Clairtone was in trouble.
Barely a year later,
IEL took it over
for the province,
and by 1970, it was closed.
A thousand jobs gone,
a dream ended.
What went wrong?
What went
wrong?
What went wrong was
that I forgot my script.
The sun was setting
In the west
The birds were singing
On every tree
News anchor: In an effort
to cut their losses,
Clairtone will have to sell off
approximately 5,000
unsold color televisions
currently sitting
in their warehouse.
This may prove difficult,
especially since Simpsons
and Eaton's department
stores announced today
that they would no longer carry
the Clairtone product line.
.Nova Scotia,
the sea bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I am far away...
It wasn't very long
after you took charge
that things began to go sour.
I don't like
the way you put that.
You sound as though
you were suggesting
that I was to
blame for it going sour.
I think it is true,
however, that, in '67,
the good picture
that had been projected
began to look not so good.
Reporter: Clairtone's
annual report issued today
indicated that losses from all
manufactured products
were much greater
than anticipated.
Farewell to Nova Scotia
Clairtone has had much worse
troubles and much greater losses
after the government took over
control rather than before.
TV reporter:
Following the suspension
of Clairtone's lines of credit,
new Clairtone boss
G.A. McDonald announced today
that all unsold inventory would
be liquidated immediately.
Reporter: Trading in Clairtone
shares was suspended today,
as the company was delisted
from the Toronto Stock Exchange.
From a peak of over $15,
the value of a share had
fallen to less than 30 cents.
Reporter #2: It was a dark day
at the Clairtone factory,
as employees left after punching
out for the final time.
Some spoke of looking
for work in Ontario,
but many will wake up tomorrow
with no jobs and no prospect
of future employment.
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I am far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Nina: After selling off
Clairtone's assets
and the Stellarton factory,
the government of Nova Scotia
had lost over $23 million.
Man: Okay.
Reporter: Looking back,
what would you say was
so special about Clairtone?
It was the best
product at that time,
and it was a great amount of
satisfaction and thrill
to see a product totally
designed and made in Canada,
in a country that
suffered traditionally
from an inferiority complex
vis-a-vis their American
and European counterparts,
to be able to design something,
conceive it, design it,
both from an
exterior point of view,
as well as from an
engineering point of view,
which against
any price competition
stood up internationally
as the best product.
When people like
Frank Sinatra, or Hugh Hefner,
or the Beatles
had bought a Clairtone,
it was not because
they had Canadian nationalism
or because somebody said,
"Buy Canadian,"
it was bought because it was
the best product available
at any price.
Nina: But my dad's story
didn't end with Clairtone.
I've got an island
in the Pacific
And everything
about it is terrific
I've got the sun to tan me
Palms to fan me
And...
An occasional man
I've got an island,
it's very lazy
If I should ever leave it,
I'd be crazy
Back in 1962,
when they'd had some money,
David and my dad bought two
parcels of beachfront land
in Fiji, on a whim,
sight unseen.
Turning their attention
to this last thing
they owned together,
they got financing
to build a luxury resort,
and within a few years,
they'd expanded it
into a chain of hotels
and resorts across
the South Pacific...
which they sold in 1980.
With their profits,
David and my dad
then started a commercial
real estate company...
Which they sold in 2006.
And they also founded one of the
biggest gold mining companies
in the world, Barrick Gold.
My dad never forgot
that Canada took him in
when he had nothing,
and he felt
he owed Canada a debt.
As soon as he could,
he began to donate
hundreds of millions of dollars
to support health care,
education, and public policy.
My dad died in March of 2018
at the age of 90.
David Gilmour died
five years later at 91.
From the day they met
until the day my dad died,
he and David remained
the closest of friends.
That's life
That's
life
That's what
all the people say
You're riding high in April
Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change
That tune
When I'm back on top
Back on top in June
I said that's life
That's life
And as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks
Stomping on a dream
But I don't let it,
let it get me down
'Cause this fine old world
It keeps spinnin' around
I've been a puppet,
a pauper, a pirate, a poet
A pawn and a king
I've been up and
down and over and out
And I know one thing
Each time I find myself
Flat on my face
I pick myself up and get
Back in the race
That's life
That's
life
I tell you, I can't deny it
I thought of quitting, baby
But my heart
just ain't gonna buy it
And if I didn't think
it was worth one single try
I'd jump right on a big bird
And then I'd fly
I've been a puppet,
a pauper, a pirate, a poet
A pawn and a king
I've been up and down
and over and out
And I know one thing
Each time
I find myself layin'
Flat on my face
I just pick
myself up and get
Back in the race
That's life
That's life
and I can't deny it
Many times
I thought of cutting out
But my heart won't buy it
But if there's
nothing shaking
Come this here July
I'm gonna roll myself up
In a big ball
And...
Die
My, my...
The sun was setting
In the West
The birds were singing
On every tree
All nature seemed
Inclined for to rest
But still there was
No rest for me
Farewell to Nova Scotia
The sea-bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I'm far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
I grieve to leave
My native land
I grieve to leave
My comrades all
And my parents
Who I held so dear
And the bonnie, bonnie lad
That I do adore
Farewell to Nova Scotia
The sea-bound coast
Let your mountains
Dark and dreary be
For when I'm far away
On the briny ocean tossed
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?
Will you ever heave a sigh
And a wish for me?